Kewanee Star-Courier: Ralph Harold LaMaster, thirteen year old son of Harry LaMaster, 307 North Burr street, came to his death in a peculiar manner at his home about 6 o’clock last evening.
The family had just finished supper and Mr. LaMaster was sitting on the front porch. Mrs. Emma Jobes the boy’s grandmother, told Ralph to wipe the dishes for his sister, Lillian, who is ten years old. Mrs. Jobes then went into the next room to do some sewing.
In a short time Lillian called to her grandmother that Ralph had wrapped the roller towel around his neck, and he would not help her with the dishes. Mrs. Jobes went into the kitchen to get matters straightened out, and she found Ralph hanging by his neck from the roller towel rack. The wet towel had been wrapped so tightly about the boy’s neck that his grandmother was unable to loosen it. She lifted the body up until she was able to release the roller from the rack.
The unconscious lad was laid upon the floor, a physician was summoned and everything possible was done to restore him to consciousness but without avail. Examination showed that the neck had been broken.
From the testimony of the little sister who was the only one who was with Ralph at the time, the boy after placing the towel about his neck whirled around several times. It is probable that he became dizzy and fell thus dislocating the vertebra in his neck. The towel was a long one, permitting the body to drop a sufficient distance to cause the neck to be broken. The grandmother became so wrought up over the occurrence that she burned the towel before the arrival of the Coroner’s jury. Another towel, which was exactly like the one used by the boy, was placed in the rack and exhibited to the jury.